"...The fruit of gumball trees are spiky round balls that are 1 to 1.5 inches in diameter. They resemble the top of a medieval mace weapon and are painful when stepped on with bare feet. The fruit starts off as green and turns brown by the time it falls to the ground. Frequent raking may be necessary to keep lawns clear of fruit from large trees. Gardeners who do not want to the spiny fruit of the tree can purchase a fruitless round-lobed cultivar, Liquidambar styraciflua “Rotundiloba,” from nurseries." Courtesy of http://homeguides.sfgate.com/gumball-tree-39532.html

So you can imagine these pack real nice into a snowball. Combining the best of the south, and the snow from the north :) Who doesn't love a name that sounds sweet but really is a medieval mace weapon designed to sprain your ankle walking out the door?